The 1988 Dodgers

Reliving the Championship Season

K. P. Wee

When most baseball fans think back to the 1988 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, they probably remember Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run off Dennis Eckersley, Orel Hershiser’s shutout streak and dominant postseason pitching that got them there, or perhaps the fact that it remains, to this day, the last World Championship for the Dodgers.

In The 1988 Dodgers: Reliving the Championship Season, K. P. Wee tells the story of this incredible year. More than just Gibson or Hershiser, the team’s success came from a true collective effort in which all 25 players on the roster made significant contributions throughout the season. Featuring dozens of interviews with players—including those lesser-known Dodgers who were just as important to the team as the stars—coaches, scouts, and general manager Fred Claire, Wee provides a refreshing view of the 1988 season, sharing personal stories and little-known anecdotes told to him by the players and staff. The players also reflect on the importance of the entire team that season, their careers following the World Championship, and life after baseball, giving readers a complete inside look at a season and team to remember.« lessmore »

K. P. Wee is the author of multiple sports books, including Tom Candiotti: A Life of Knuckleballs (2014), The End of the Montreal Jinx: Boston’s Short-Lived Glory in the Historic Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry (2015), and Don’t Blame the Knuckleballer: Baseball Legends, Myths, and Stories (2015). He was a media relations assistant for the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club and hosted a radio show every week in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Orel Hershiser IV…Kirk Gibson…the irrepressible Tom LaSorda…you know all about them. But Rick Dempsey, Mickey Hatcher, and Danny Heep—aka “The Stuntmen”—not so much. Now, thanks to K. P. Wee’s The 1988 Dodgers: Reliving the Championship Season, you will. This is the story of a very improbable and, yes, lovable bunch, the last LA Dodger squad to win a championship.— Bob Ryan, Boston Globe, ESPN

K. P. Wee brought back great memories for every Dodgers fan. This book is very informative and gives fantastic insight by interviewing the players and general manager Fred Claire. I highly recommend this book for all baseball fans!— Tom Candiotti, television analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks, former major-league pitcher

With thorough input from a variety of sources—star players, scouts, a third-string catcher, bat boys, broadcasters—Wee takes the reader on a candid journey through the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1988 season. It's a must-read for hardcore fans, and for anyone whose memories have been reduced to Orel Hershiser's scoreless-inning streak and Kirk Gibson's home run. The lost moments, colorful characters, and behind-the-scenes drama all come alive.— J. P. Hoornstra, MLB reporter for the Southern California News Group and author of The 50 Greatest Dodger Games of All Time

The 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers were overloaded with big, bold personalities, with the likes of Kirk Gibson, Rick Dempsey, Mickey Hatcher, Jesse Orosco and, of course, manager Tommy Lasorda. K. P. Wee makes you feel like you have snuck into a corner stall in their clubhouse for their magical run to the World Series.— Steve Ewen, sports reporter for the Vancouver Province/Sun

The 1988 Dodgers

Reliving the Championship Season

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Summary

When most baseball fans think back to the 1988 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, they probably remember Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run off Dennis Eckersley, Orel Hershiser’s shutout streak and dominant postseason pitching that got them there, or perhaps the fact that it remains, to this day, the last World Championship for the Dodgers.

In The 1988 Dodgers: Reliving the Championship Season, K. P. Wee tells the story of this incredible year. More than just Gibson or Hershiser, the team’s success came from a true collective effort in which all 25 players on the roster made significant contributions throughout the season. Featuring dozens of interviews with players—including those lesser-known Dodgers who were just as important to the team as the stars—coaches, scouts, and general manager Fred Claire, Wee provides a refreshing view of the 1988 season, sharing personal stories and little-known anecdotes told to him by the players and staff. The players also reflect on the importance of the entire team that season, their careers following the World Championship, and life after baseball, giving readers a complete inside look at a season and team to remember.

K. P. Wee is the author of multiple sports books, including Tom Candiotti: A Life of Knuckleballs (2014), The End of the Montreal Jinx: Boston’s Short-Lived Glory in the Historic Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry (2015), and Don’t Blame the Knuckleballer: Baseball Legends, Myths, and Stories (2015). He was a media relations assistant for the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club and hosted a radio show every week in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Orel Hershiser IV…Kirk Gibson…the irrepressible Tom LaSorda…you know all about them. But Rick Dempsey, Mickey Hatcher, and Danny Heep—aka “The Stuntmen”—not so much. Now, thanks to K. P. Wee’s The 1988 Dodgers: Reliving the Championship Season, you will. This is the story of a very improbable and, yes, lovable bunch, the last LA Dodger squad to win a championship.— Bob Ryan, Boston Globe, ESPN

K. P. Wee brought back great memories for every Dodgers fan. This book is very informative and gives fantastic insight by interviewing the players and general manager Fred Claire. I highly recommend this book for all baseball fans!— Tom Candiotti, television analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks, former major-league pitcher

With thorough input from a variety of sources—star players, scouts, a third-string catcher, bat boys, broadcasters—Wee takes the reader on a candid journey through the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1988 season. It's a must-read for hardcore fans, and for anyone whose memories have been reduced to Orel Hershiser's scoreless-inning streak and Kirk Gibson's home run. The lost moments, colorful characters, and behind-the-scenes drama all come alive.— J. P. Hoornstra, MLB reporter for the Southern California News Group and author of The 50 Greatest Dodger Games of All Time

The 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers were overloaded with big, bold personalities, with the likes of Kirk Gibson, Rick Dempsey, Mickey Hatcher, Jesse Orosco and, of course, manager Tommy Lasorda. K. P. Wee makes you feel like you have snuck into a corner stall in their clubhouse for their magical run to the World Series.— Steve Ewen, sports reporter for the Vancouver Province/Sun